A dirt road winding through a hardwood forest carpeted in fallen leaves, birches along its edge.

The Overland Directory

Events in Rhode Island

Expos, rallies, trainings and gatherings, where the gear is on display and the people who use it are standing next to it.

We’re working on adding the latest events in Rhode Island here.

Organize an expo, rally or gathering? Send us the dates.

Rhode Island by the numbers

of Rhode Island is federal land 1
0.7%
4,458 of 677,120 acres, with no BLM and no national forest
federal campgrounds a vehicle can reach 2
0
Our build of the federal recreation database finds none in the state
acres of state management area 6
55,000+
The Division of Fish and Wildlife’s own figure for land designated as state management area
acres in Arcadia, the largest of them 6
14,692
The hunting guide’s table for Hopkinton, Exeter, Richmond and West Greenwich. The state parks site says over 14,000
Jerimoth Hill, the state high point 3
812 ft
USGS. Our own reading of the elevation surface at its map point gives 811
the one designated motor route on management area land 9
18.9 mi
Gravel roads and fire trails in Arcadia, open to street-legal registered motorcycles only
the state’s only National Scenic Byway 35
6 mi
The Revolutionary Heritage Byway in Bristol. No fee
snow a year, coast to western woods 5
20 to 55 in
About 20 inches on Block Island and the southeastern bay shore, 40 to 55 inches in the west

The window for gathering

Management area events are confined by regulation to 1 July through 30 September, no more than four permits in that window, and no more than two per year per individual recreation use type so that other user groups get a turn. Applications open on 1 January and close at the end of February.

Outside that, the calendar is set by orange season from the second Saturday in September to the end of February and again from the third Saturday in April to the end of May, by the state beach season from late May to Labor Day, and by the campgrounds, which open in April.

The full guide to overlanding Rhode Island

Kinds of events

The large expos combine a vendor show, classes and a campground full of real vehicles. Rallies and brand gatherings are smaller and more social. Training weekends and club runs are where you actually drive.

Getting the most from one

The vendor hall is the least useful part.

  1. 01Take the classes. They are the best value at any expo.
  2. 02Walk the camping area. Owners will tell you what they would do differently.
  3. 03Talk to builders in person, and look closely at their work.
  4. 04Book camping early. It sells out before day tickets do.

For organizers

List the event with its dates, location, what it costs to attend and a link to register. We will add it to the directory and to the state it happens in.

Questions people ask

Are events worth it for beginners?

They are the quickest education available: a weekend of classes, hundreds of vehicles to look at, and owners who will happily tell you what they would do differently.

How do I add an event?

Use the List your business form and choose Events. Include the dates, the location and a link.

How high is Rhode Island?

From Galilee at 5 feet to Jerimoth Hill at 812. Altitude decides what your engine, your brakes and your lungs have to work with, and how late in the year the passes open.

Towns

  1. West Greenwich Big River, Wickaboxet and Tillinghast, one exit off the interstate 546 ft
  2. Chepachet The village at the George Washington Management Area gate 428 ft
  3. Coventry The eastern side of Big River and Nicholas Farm 426 ft
  4. Pascoag Burrillville services for Buck Hill and Black Hut 422 ft
  5. Exeter The northern approach to Arcadia on Ten Rod Road 272 ft
  6. Wyoming On Route 138 between Arcadia and the Carolina area 115 ft
  7. Hope Valley The Arcadia headquarters village, and the nearest fuel to the area 82 ft
  8. Pawtucket Old Slater Mill and the Blackstone park headquarters 39 ft
  9. Westerly Misquamicut, Woody Hill and the Quonochontaug sand trail 37 ft
  10. Newport Aquidneck Island services, and the way to Sachuest Point 28 ft
  11. Charlestown Burlingame, the Breachway and the East Beach sand trail 22 ft
  12. New Shoreham Block Island itself, about twelve miles offshore 20 ft
  13. Providence The one full-service city, and the last of it before the western woods 9 ft
  14. Jamestown Conanicut Island, Beavertail and a bridge at either end 8 ft
  15. Wakefield South Kingstown services, and the coastal council’s own office 6 ft
  16. Galilee Point Judith, the state boat ramp and the year-round island boat 5 ft

Passes, high roads and summits

  1. Jerimoth Hill The state high point, in Providence County. USGS publishes 812 feet; our own reading of the elevation surface at its map point gives 811 812 ft
  2. Durfee Hill Our own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, in Providence County, above the 2,466-acre management area of the same name 805 ft
  3. Buck Hill Our own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, in Providence County, above the 3,192-acre management area of the same name 736 ft
  4. Bald Hill Our own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, in Kent County 629 ft
  5. Beacon Pole Hill Our own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, in Providence County 544 ft
  6. Mount Tom Our own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, in Washington County. The Arcadia motor route includes a Mt. Tom Road 431 ft
  7. Tower Hill Our own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, in Washington County 183 ft

Pass, road and summit elevations are the figures published by the agency that manages them. Town elevations are the town’s or county’s own figure where it publishes an exact one; the rest are from the U.S. Geological Survey (3D Elevation Program at the place’s official coordinates), retrieved September 18, 2026. Every source is listed at the foot of the page.

Sources for this page

45
  1. Congressional Research Service. Federal Land Ownership: Overview and Data (R42346), Tables 1 and 2, data as of September 30, 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  2. Recreation.gov. Recreation Information Database (RIDB) full export, the site’s own build of it. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  3. U.S. Geological Survey. Elevations and Distances in the United States, online edition, state high and low points. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  4. U.S. Geological Survey. Geographic Names Information System and 3D Elevation Program point query. Elevation of the 3DEP surface at the GNIS coordinates of the named place, rounded to the nearest foot. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  5. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Rhode Island State Climate Summary 2022, NOAA Technical Report NESDIS 150-RI. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  6. Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Division of Fish and Wildlife. 2026-2027 Rhode Island Hunting and Trapping Regulation Guide: State Lands, and the Public Lands and hunting areas table. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  7. Rhode Island Department of State, Code of Regulations. General Provisions for State Parks and Conservation Management Areas, 250-RICR-100-00-7. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  8. Rhode Island Department of State, Code of Regulations. State Parks, 250-RICR-100-00-8. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  9. Rhode Island Department of State, Code of Regulations. Conservation Management Areas, 250-RICR-100-00-9. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  10. Rhode Island Department of State, Code of Regulations. Rules and Regulations Relative to Forest Fire Personnel and Forest Fires and Prevention, 250-RICR-70-00-2. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  11. Rhode Island State Parks, Department of Environmental Management. Camping Area Descriptions and Specific Requirements. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  12. Rhode Island State Parks, Department of Environmental Management. RI State Beaches: parking passes, rates and season dates. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  13. Rhode Island State Parks, Department of Environmental Management. East Beach. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  14. Rhode Island State Parks, Department of Environmental Management. Charlestown Breachway. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  15. Rhode Island State Parks, Department of Environmental Management. Arcadia Management Area. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  16. Rhode Island State Parks, Department of Environmental Management. Burlingame State Park. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  17. Rhode Island State Parks, Department of Environmental Management. Pulaski State Park and Recreational Area. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  18. Rhode Island State Parks, Department of Environmental Management. Beavertail State Park. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  19. Rhode Island State Parks, Department of Environmental Management. Lincoln Woods State Park. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  20. Rhode Island State Parks, Department of Environmental Management. Colt State Park. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  21. Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council. Beach Vehicles: permits, general driving restrictions and the East Beach Sand Trail. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  22. Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council. Beaches and Sand Trails of Southern Rhode Island: Regulations and Information Pamphlet, a joint CRMC and RIDEM publication. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  23. Rhode Island General Assembly. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-3.2-1, Definitions. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  24. Rhode Island General Assembly. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-3.2-2, Registration. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  25. Rhode Island General Assembly. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-3.2-7, Operation. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  26. Rhode Island General Assembly. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-3.2-4.1, Operation of snowmobile or recreational vehicle without permission. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  27. Rhode Island General Assembly. R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 31-19.3-1 and 31-19.3-5, rental of motorized bicycles, motor scooters and motorized tricycles in New Shoreham. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  28. Rhode Island General Assembly. R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 24-15-2 and 24-15-3, Scenic Highways: the scenic roadways board and designation. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  29. Rhode Island General Assembly. R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 31-25-3, 31-25-4 and 31-25-5, maximum width, height and length. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  30. Rhode Island General Assembly. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-25-25, Seasonal weight restrictions by local authorities. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  31. Rhode Island General Assembly. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-23-20, Protuberances on tires. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  32. Rhode Island General Assembly. R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-12-6, Restrictions on open air fires. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  33. Rhode Island General Assembly. R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-12-13, Proclamation of hazardous conditions and closing of forests. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  34. Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. Wildfire Danger Report: fire districts, Red Flag Warnings and campfire restrictions. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  35. Federal Highway Administration. Revolutionary Heritage Byway, America’s Byways: length and fees. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  36. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge: About Us. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  37. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge: About Us. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  38. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge: About Us. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  39. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Block Island National Wildlife Refuge: About Us. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  40. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Block Island National Wildlife Refuge: Visit Us, and how to reach the island. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  41. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge: About Us. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  42. National Park Service. Roger Williams National Memorial: Basic Information. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  43. National Park Service. Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park: Management, and park boundaries. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  44. Rhode Island Department of Transportation. Winter Storm Operations: bike paths in winter. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  45. Rhode Island Department of Transportation. Statewide Truck and Bridge Restrictions, and the Oversize and Overweight division’s reference material. Retrieved September 25, 2026.

Reviewed September 25, 2026. Conditions, closures and rules change; check with the managing agency before you travel.

More in Rhode Island